Day 273: Writing, Tibetan Phrases & Country Club Memories

Weekends have been good to me. I just sleep better. I got about nine and a half hours of sleep, which was divine. But I was admittedly sore from the driving range. I always am when I go out for the first time each season.

I put in a load of laundry and then had a gluten-free cinnamon raisin bagel with whipped cream cheese for breakfast. When the first load of laundry was finished, I put a bunch of my writing materials together and headed over toward St. John’s to get some work done at the Writer’s Dojo.

I parked my car and walked over to Starbucks. On my way, I called my dad to wish him a happy father’s day, to let him know how much I miss and love him, and just checked in on his day. We chit chatted for a little and then I ordered a small bottle of Naked Mighty Mango juice smoothie and a green tea nonfat latte, my latest obsession.

After my dad and I hung up, I walked back to the Dojo and met a few people before organizing my work for the day. I edited my blog posting from last night. Then, I began to type my edits for the second chapter of my book. It’s really coming along. I am very psyched about the feedback I’ll get from my writer’s group.

At 2:00 I joined the director of the Dojo to go to a reading of a few writers at the St. John’s Booksellers. There, I serendipitously found a pocket-sized paperback book – Tibet Phrasebookby Melvyn C. Goldstein with the help of Gelek Rimpoche and Trinley Dorje, a publication of Lonely Planet from 1987. It’s the first edition (this link shows the second edition). It made me have a nice little thought – that one day, when I finally get to Tibet and take in the panorama of the Himalayas, I would have this little book in my pocket. It’s kind of a promise to myself that I will get there one day.

I’ve learned some basic phrases – like ‘I am a writer’, which is pronounced as ‘nga tsombabo yin’ and ‘I am from America’ which is translated to ‘nga amerika nay yin’.

After the reading, I returned to the Dojo. I finished typing out the second chapter of my book. By the time I completed the edits, I was really tired. I left and headed toward the 405, and pulled off at the Everett Street exit. I parked near Fenouil and sat down on a patch of inviting grass at Jamison Square Park. It’s a lovely park with a fountain that attracts parents and their small children. It can be either really adorable or really annoying, depending on your mood. Today, I was somewhere in the middle. I people-watched while working on some northwest themed poetry.

At 6:30 I talked to Susan and we decided to meet up for some Mexican food. I picked her up at her place on the water in Sellwood and we went to Cha, Cha, Cha’s. I was starving! I ordered two grilled shrimp tacos in small corn tortillas, and one carnitas taco and a lime soda.

We caught up on our weekends and chatted about the usual topic on dating, being single, the social pressures thrusted on 30-something women who are smart, independent and single, making you feel not so smart, important or successful. Susan said it best when she mentioned that when she’s around family, with her cousins married and with kids, she often feels judged, like they must be wondering – what did she do wrong?

I reminded her that for every single, independent, happy 30+ woman, there are two to three unhappy, unfulfilled women in bad marriages. Point is, you can’t judge others and you can’t judge yourself. There’s no right or wrong action or place to be. You have to count your blessings and be happy for all that is working out in your life. Easier said than done, but such is life. I try to be proud of myself for making sound decisions that give my life value and purpose, irrespective of whether or not I have someone by my side to make the rest of the world feel more comfortable with and accepting of my life and my decisions.

After dinner, we drove by the Waverly Country Club. It brought back memories of my childhood, spending my summers at the Country Club of Fairfax. My mom would drop us off at the pool for swim team practice in the mornings while she’d go and play in the lady’s golf league. We’d meet up for lunch either at the pool or the Club House, and then we’d play tennis in the afternoon and golf with our dad in the evenings. My parents, especially my dad, shared their love of golf with us.

I was three hole golf champion when I was six, I was six hole champion when I was 8-10. And by the time I was 13, I was out driving many of the ladies at our club. At that same time, I was very aware that only boys played golf and so (stupid!) I stopped playing. I often wonder what I could have done with golf had I not quit. I was a natural – I had an amazing swing and the club pro used to call me little Amy, after LPGA champion Amy Alcott. Back in the early 80’s there weren’t very many professional women golfers – I mean, Amy Alcott and Nancy Lopez were practically the only female golfers I was really familiar with. Boy, have times changed! Womens’ golf is so exciting now.

Anyway. After dropping Susan off, I realized how much I’d love to share the country club experience with my own family, one day. I have so many great memories from those summers. It’s not essential for me, but it really is a great way to keep a family active and close. I made so many great friends and my fourth of July’s were incredible – the Club always had an enchanting evening. We’d run around the 9th hole, drinking Shirley temples, eating catered BBQ, getting the sparklers going, and then the fireworks were always so amazing.

It was a nice, nostalgic moment. While Waverly is private, I decided I’d start going to the driving range at Eastmoreland to try to get to know more single people my age who play. It’s a really nice public course that still has the feel of a private country club.